Aircraft and space vehicle control systems are responsible for controlling various systems in an aircraft, such as “fly by wire” guidance and navigation systems, aircraft lighting systems, aircraft environmental control systems, aircraft flight control systems, and aircraft flight management systems. Over time, different types of vehicle control systems have been proposed to provide control functionality while minimizing size, weight, and cost.
One type of control system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,421,526 entitled RECONFIGURABLE VIRTUAL BACKPLANE ARCHITECTURE issued to Fletcher et al., the contents of which are incorporated herein. This control system utilizes a reconfigurable virtual backplane system comprising a communication bus and at least two line cards. Each of the line cards are coupled to the communication bus and comprise a processor and a separate configuration memory coupled to the processor. The configuration memory comprises an array of configuration tables, wherein each configuration table stores a listing of processes to run and data to be transmitted to or received by the processor from the communication bus. A current configuration table is selected from the array of configuration tables upon the occurrence of a predetermined event such that the control system is able to dynamically reconfigure itself upon the occurrence of various predetermined events (e.g., two spacecraft docking with one another).
Another control system is disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/473,837 entitled RECONFIGURABLE VIRTUAL BACKPLANE SYSTEMS AND METHODS filed by Nigoghosian et al., the contents of which are incorporated herein. This control system utilizes a communication bus and first and second line cards coupled to the communication bus. The first line card includes a first processor comprising a first system memory storing a first array of configuration tables. Each configuration table in the first array stores a listing of processes to be transmitted to or received from the communication bus, wherein a first configuration table is selected from the first array during a first configuration (e.g., an undocked spacecraft). The second line card includes a second processor comprising a second system memory storing a second array of configuration tables. Each configuration table in the second array stores a listing of processes to be transmitted to or received from the communication bus, wherein a second configuration table is selected from the second array of configuration tables during a second configuration (e.g., the spacecraft docked with another spacecraft).
Prior to reconfiguring the control systems in a spacecraft, an aircraft, a motor vehicle, or the like, it is important to ensure that the predetermined event(s) and/or the change in configuration have occurred. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide systems and methods for validating predetermined events and/or configurations in reconfigurable control systems. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.